himselfe his good Friend his Lord and Master the King of Saints and King of Kings the mighty Potentate the sole and only head and Lawgiver and Governour of his Church I say if he had not been in very great haste indeed and giddy withall in his brain or in some distraction He would have taken notice of Christ and have thought him and his blessed Apostles and seventy Disciples and those likewise that were baptized by John with Christs Mother Brethren and Sisters worthy to be esteemed a formed Church or Churches yet he and his brethren passe by them all saying we take no notice of them as formed into a Church or churches so that it is no wonder they at this day take no notice of our Churches and that they absolutely deny them to be formed into a church or churches after the New Testament forme when they do the same to all the beleevers in Christs time Surely that Subject that should passe by his King and Soveraign and all his retinue and Courtiers and take no notice of him and them and should yeild him no reverence would be thought crased in his brain especially if he should in a slighting manner say He tooke no notice of them And all men that should hear such an expression from him would not onely judge such an one a very unbred man and an uncivill fellow but that deservedly he ought to be taught better manners And without doubt a King that should understand of such a Subject if he at any time had need of his favour would reply unto him Sir you woud take no notice of me and my servants go now to those for help that you think worthy to be taken notice of As the Lord said unto the Israelites who when they were oppressed by their cruell enemies and came then flying unto him for his assistance Go saith he to your gods that in your prosperity yee served and seek help from them And truly if the businesse be seriously considered this my brother Burtons and his associates dealing with Christ and his Disciples and Followers is not altogether unlike the dealing of the Israelites with the Lord at least in words For in plain termes they say we take no notice of them as formed into a church or churches so that Christ and his Disciples are very little beholding to those of the congregationall way Certainly the man was in very great haste when he uttered these words or exceedingly distemperd in his brain for otherwise Christ had been worthy to have been taken notice of if his followers had not Our Saviour speaks of some that at the last day shall say unto him Lord Lord have we not preached in thy Name and in thy Name have we not done wondrous works Mat. 7. ver 22 23. To whom Christ saith he will reply Depart from me I know you not And doubtlesse if my brother Burton and his complices deeply repent not of these their words and of all their evill dealing in seducing and mis-leading of the poor people and of making rents and schismes in Church and State but shall still persevere in the errour of their wayes and will not yet take notice of those multitudes baptized by John the Baptist and Christs Disciples and of Christ himselfe and his Followers nor of their brethren at this day through all the Reformed churches as formed into a Church or Churches it is to be feared that whatsoever both he and those of his party shall pretend As that they have preached in his name and done wondrous works in gathering of new churches and preaching up the congregationall way and publishing of new truths and setting up of new lights and placing Christ upon his Throne I say whatsoever they shall in this kinde pretend Except they all repent of this their wickednesse and uncharitable dealing towards all their Christian Brethren it is to be feared that Christ will say to them as he professeth he will say to the others I know ye not depart from me ye that worke iniquity and they all likewise perish For what can any man that hath not resigned his understanding think lesse of this so weighty a businesse but that Christ may say unto them at that day You have taught it in your congregations and printed in your bookes set forth by authority by all your consents and that upon deliberation that you take no notice of all those multitudes that were baptized by John and my Disciples to be formed into a Church or Churches These will he say are your owne words and that in capitall letters nay you deny them to be Christians for so J. S. speaketh page 8 and 9. in the name of all the brethren giving many reasons there to the contrary asserting that by the baptisme of John they were not made Christians much lesse cast into a church mould according to the New Testament forme and least of all that they were all Members of one Christian church at Jerusalem These are his expressions For which he hath been much applauded by all of that fraternity who usually say of him when he rideth through the streets there goeth he that beat up Doctor Bastwicks quarters approving of this good worke of his in unchristianing all those that beleeved in mee and were baptized by the Ministry of my servant John the greatest Prophet that ever was borne of woman and sent by me and my father to baptize them And of Mr. Burton they never speak but in high praises blessing God that he hath answered Bastwicks Book which he writ in defence and maintenace of my honour and for the reputation of all that beleeved in me and were baptized in my name So that all those books that were set forth by those of the congregationall way to my dishonour and the disrepute of my followers are approved of by you all and in them you say you take no notice of those multitudes that were baptized by John as formed into a church or churches Now amongst those that were baptized by John I was one and my Disciples and my Mother and my Brethren c. So that you slight us all and take no notice of us as formed into a Church or churches that is in plain words you are ashamed of us and deny us Now those that are ashamed of me and deny me before men and take no notice of me and my Disciples and of my Brethren and Sisters and Mother and of those that beleeved in me and followed me whiles I was upon the earth to be formed into a church or churches I will be ashamed of them and deny them and take no notice of them before my Father in Heaven to be formed into a church or churches For he that despiseth my Disciples and my Followers despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Yea whosoever shall despise one of these little ones that beleeve in me it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into
it as the insuing places sufficiently prove Rom. 16. ver 17 and 18. Now I beseech you brethren saith the Apostle marke them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoyde them 1 Cor. chap. the 5. ver 11. But now I have writ unto you saith Saint Paul not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a raylor or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eat 1 Tim. chap. the 6. ver the 3. and 5. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse from such withdraw thy selfe and 2 Tim. chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4 5. In the last dayes saith the Apostle shall perilous times come For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents without naturall affection covenant or truce-breakers false accusers or make-bates incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good trayterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof from such tâ—rne away for of this sort are they which creep into widdowes houses and lead captive silly women laden with sinnes c. Tit. 3. ver 10. A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reject saith the Apostle 2. John ver 10. If there come any unto you saith Saint John and bring not the doctrine of Christ receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds And Gal 1. ver 8 9. If we or an Angell from Heaven saith the Apostle preach otherwise then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed as I said before so I say now againe if any man preach unto you any other Gospell then that you have received let him be occursed Out of all the which places and many more that might be produced we are taught to shun and decline the society and fellowship of all such Christians as are corrupt in their doctrine or manners and such as either preach or practise otherwise then they have precept or example for in the holy word of God especially we are to have no communion with them when they not only preach another way to Heaven then that which Christ and the holy Prophets and blessed Apostles have chalked out unto us and delivered unto the Church but have joyned themselves in a wicked and unwarrantable Covenant to persist and continue in this practice for they are no Saints But such are those of the Congregationall way whose Teachers and Members are combined together to persevere in their wicked practices and courses and therefore by expresse command from Heaven we are to have no communion with such unlesse we will be found fighters against God and partake in their punishments And these places of holy Scripture with these reasons shall suffice for the proofe of the Major proposition For the Minor that the churches and assemblies of those of the congregationall way consist of Raylers Revilers Slanderers and covenant-breakers c. it is evident and well knowne to all such as are acquainted with the practise of the Independents and are verst in their doctrine and have read their Pamphlets which consist chiefly of errors untruths and right-downe raylings as amongst others those of my brother Burton and Iohn Lilburne not to mention the Pamphlets of all the other Independents the very names of which would make a booke in all the which there is little other but rayling and dangerous novelties Some of my brother Burtons and Iohn Lilburnes expressions with an other or two more which write in the name of all the Independents I will produce that by the mouth of two or three of their witnesses the truth of their proceedings in their Raylings Errors and Lyes and bad practises may be yet more evident My brother Burton in his Vindication hath these insuing words against all the Presbyterians both Ministers and people and first against the Ministers of whom hee saith that they deny disclaime and preach against Christs kingly Government over mens consciences and churches so that such a conversion as is wrought by them comes not home to whole Christ and such with their converters doe deny Christs kingly Government or at least and best they are converted but in part and that maine thing is wanting to wit Christs kingly Office And in his Vindiciae veritatis hee accuseth mee pag. 21. for taking Christs name in vaine because in my Booke I asserted that the Ministers of the church of England set up Christ upon his Throne which for mee to affirme hee saith it is to take the name of Christ in vaine his words are these And here saith he I challenge our brother for taking Christs name in vaine when insteed of finding Christ set upon his Throne in their congregations we find there no more but an Image such as Michal had made up insteed of King David or as those that in mockery made of Christ a Pageant King stripping him and putting on him a scarlet Robe and on his head a Crowne of Thornes and in his hand a reed saluting him with Haile King of the Iewes with which title over his head they crucified him therefore saith he those passages quoted out of my Booke will stand good against their opposers These are his words against all the Ministers of the Church of England Now of all the people that are not of the congregationall way and of their new Assemblies my brother Burton in his Vindication hath these words Wee exhort them saith he to set up Christ King in their hearts Wee exhort them to become and professe to be those Saints of whom Christ is King for hee is King of Saints Revel 15. 3. but they will not beleeve us saith hee they will not depend upon Christ as the only Law-giver and King over their consciences Now what would you have us to doe in this case saith hee baptize the Infants of such parents as will not in this respect professe or confesse Christ to be their King why doe you not know saith hee that no Infants have any title to Baptisme that are not within the Covenant visibly and how are they within the Covenant visibly but by vertue of their parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith is there in their parents that refuse Christ for their onely King that are ashamed or afraid to professe to be in covenant with Christ as their King if therefore the parents professe not yea refuse thus to be in visible covenant can the children be said to be in visible covenant and so to have a right in Baptisme the externall Seale of the Covenant here is an obex a barre put These are my brother Burtons owne
he killed a man after he had beene told and forewarned of it that it was a dangerous creature as wee may see Exod. 21. 28 29. where the Lord thus speaketh If an Oxe gore a man or a woman that they dye then the Oxe shall be surely stoned and his flesh shall not be eaten but the Owner of the Oxe shall bee quit But if the Oxe were wont to push with his horne in time past and it hath beene testified unto his owner and hee hath not kept him in but that hee hath killed a man or a woman the Oxe shall bee stoned and his Owner also shall bee put to death I say if the wilfull tolerating of but a mischievous creature to goe loose after his owner was informed of the dangerousnesse of it and that the owner himselfe was to be put to death if hee killed either a man or a woman after it how much more may wee thinke the Lord will severely punish those men that will suffer heresies and most dangerous and blasphemous opinions and idolatries to goe at liberty which with their hornes push men into hell it selfe to the destroying both of the soules and bodies of the poore people for in the fifth of the Galatians it is said that heâ—esies and idolatrie c. are amongst those sinnes that send men to perdition And we are informed by the Law of God of the deadlinesse of all sinnes but especially of those there named and God hath often taught us in his holy Law how much hee detesteth all false religions and false worships and by a speciall edict Exod. 22. verse 20. hath informed us saying He that sacrificeth unto any God save the Lord shall bee put to death so that wee cannot pretend ignorance and here is no exceptions of either persons or sexes and the same Law is reiterated in many more places of holy Writ and especially Deuter 13. where the whole Chapter is spent about the punishment of Idolaters and such as set up a false way of worshipping God and for the Morall Law many of the Independents themselves as I can out of severall of their writings prove hold that it is not alterable but it is of the same force now it was then and if they grant this as they doe they must likewise acknowledge that all the sanctions of it and penalties are also in force and that whatsoever was death by the Law of God then is by the same Law death nâ—w or else either God is changeable or the Law is altered both which I have yet so good opinion of some of them as I am confident they will not assert and therefore they must necessarily yeeld unto this if God and his Morall worship or Law bee the same and unalterable they must I say then also accord unto this that whatsoever was not then to be tolerated in Religion is not now to be suffered but severely be proceeded against Yeâ— Christ himselfe in his Epistles to the Church of Pergamos and Thyatiria and Laodicâ—a Rev. 2. and 3. as I proved before shews by threatning such heavie judgements upon those Churches for but conniving at and tolerating of Idolatry and those other filthy abominations there and by threatning with all their destruction and the killing of them and their children with the sword and the removing from them the Candlestick that is the Gospel the greatest punishment that can happen to people to be left in darkenesse and blindnesse and in the shaddow of death and in the power of Satan and to be punished moreover with temporall miseries I say all these comminations and threats sufficiently declare unto all advised Christians that Christ the Lord and King of his Church hath not altered his mind but that that Law is still in force that was made by him to his people of old yea hee hath farther declared unto hiâ— people Matth. 5. 17. 19. that hee came not to change the Law but to fulfill it and that whosoever should teach the breaking of the least of his holy Lawes should be the least in the Kingdome of Heaven Now by all those his holy Lawes made unto his people of old and by the practise of all his holy servants and Prophets hee hath declared how much hee detesteth and abhorreth the toleration of all Religions and not onely by his words often reiterated but hee hath also declared his displeasure by the punishment and immediat judgements hee laid upon Idolaters as that before mentioned in the two and thirtieth of Exodus where Moses from the Lord verse 32. said Who is on the Lords side let him come unto mee and the sonnes of Levi gathered themselves together unto him and hee saith unto them thus saith the Lord God of Israel put every man his sword by his side and goe out from gate to gate through the Campe and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour here wee find according to that of Deut. the thirteenth that in Gods quarrell and for the vindicating of his honour wee may neither spare brother companion or nighest alyes So that if God would not then tolerate all Religions hee will now much lesse indure it amongst us especially when hee hath so often manifest his displeasure against us as wee may see also Number the â—5 where it is recorded how much hee was angery with his people for going into the sacrifices of the gods of the Moabites and for their eating and bowing downe to their gods and for joyning themselves with Baalpeor for it is said there that the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and hee said unto Moses take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the Lord against the sunne that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel and Moses said unto the Iudges of Israel sâ—ay yâ—â— every one his men that were joyned unto Baalpeor verse 2. 3 4 5. This president also wee have of Gods displeasure against a toleration of any false Religion or false way of worship So that all such as pleâ—d for a toleration of all Religions shew that they have either no Religion at all or very little zeale for God Yea certainely they shew themselves all enemies of Christs Kingdome that thus violate his Lawes and trample them under their feet and that would have the Kingdome of the Devill set up every where and all Religions whatsoever tolerated amongst them which must needs provoke the Lord to anger and displeasure against that nation that doth so provoke him But how unsufferable a thing then is it in any that have the name of Christians that when they should with all their power and might oppose all innovations in Religion much more a toleration of all Religions as some of them with the hazard of their lives and liberties in former times opposed the innovations and the novelties of the Prelates and inveighed against the Booke for toleration of sports and recreations on the Lords day
part of this last Querie is the same with the former for here you speake as if to slight the Independents were a sure way to obtaine favour and applause from Popish Cavaliers truly you flatter your selfe if you thinke your subtill dealing herein is not seene when as it is so notoriously known that any man who speaks against Independents may be scorned but never applauded by Popish or any that are Cavaliers for they applaud the Independents whom they hold to be more subtill and powerfull to effect the thing they chiefly ayms at and desire then themselves and it is well knowne and can be proved that they will run and goe to doe any Malignant a favour yea they will joyne with the wickedest Cavaliers against a Presbyterian to doe him a mischiefe But having cleared this truth in my Reply to your first Querie I hasten to the other part of this where you start the Question Whether the favour I received were not by my courtly compliance with Papists preferring them before Protestants c. To which I answer that my constant perseverance in holding forth the true Protestant Religion where ever I lived at home and beyond the seas is sufficiently knowne to all the godly faithfull orthodox Christians that inhabited in any of those parts where I have dwelt and so farre have I ever beene from any courtly complying with Papists or preferring them before Protestants as some in England at this day can testifie that when I lived in forraine nations my zeale was so great for the Protestant Religion that with no little hazard I have maintained it for all the while I travailed abroad and continued in Popish Countries which was many yeares it fared with mee as with the Apostle Paul while hee waited at Athens Act. 17. 16 17. my spirit was stirred in me when I saw the Cities and all the Countries wholly given to Idolatry therefore carrying my life in my hand I daily disputed with Papists and those they accounted the devout persons Priests and Iesuits against Popery maintaining the Protestant Religion insomuch as it was only the goodnesse of my God that kept me safe giving them no power to hurt mee further J answer you the Bookes that I have written against Popery in Latine and in English are yet extant and they doe witnesse and will to future generations that the Author of them disputed against and disclaimed Popery and earnestly contented for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Iud. vers 3. yea the many disputations I have held with Priests Jesuits and people popishly affected in England not onely while I injoyed my liberty but also when by the Prelaticall popish party J was for maintaining the true Protestant Religion and standing for the peace and welfare of my countrey cast into severall prisons viz. in the Gate-house at Westminster in the Castle of Launceston in Cornewall in the Castle in the Isle of Sylly in the Goale of Leicester in the Goale in the Citie of Yorke in Hemsley-Castle in Yorke-shire Lastly in Knasebrough-Castle in Yorke-shire Yet through Gods supporting grace in none of all these prisons could the cruelty pride and fury of men which in Yorke and Sylly was my daily portion either make me forget my integrity or daunt mee in the least for their rage and power I feared not neither did I ever forbeare to justifie godly Protestants nor decline any opportunity to dispute with Papists but improved it to the uttermost to shew the great idolatry and vanity of their Religion as many who were prisoners with mee in some of the fore-named places can testifie And I am confident that the Popish Cavaliers with whom I have beene a prisoner and others of them that have discoursed and reasoned with me in matters of Religion will give this testimony that they ever found me constant to my principles unmoveable in the Protestant Religion and as farre from complying with Papists or preferring them before Protestants what ever I suffered or under-went as light is from darkenesse in its greatest brightnesse Moreover Brother I would not that you should be ignorant how that I have beene as frequent in disputations writ as much in confutation and at all times and in all companies have appeared as forward and earnest against Papists and have ventured my life to maintaine the Protestant Religion as freely as any Independent I know in England and that in the worst of times yea when those who are now the chiefe independent Rabbies to avoyd suffering for truth would not stand to appeare in her behalfe but went out of the Kingdome and like the parents of the man that was borne blind Joh. 9. 21. Left her to speake for her selfe then J helped to maintaine truths cause and was not afraid nor ashamed to suffer in so good a quarrell but resisted her opposers Papists Prelates Arminians and Formalists in their erroneous Doctrines and Popish practises even unto blood I am become a foole in glorying you have compelled me 2 Cor. 12. 11. for so many reproaches which you have cast upon me and such groundlesse Queries could never have proceeded from any that had not beene guided should I say by a traducing spirit truly that word would come short fully to explaine and set forth the sinfull subtilty of them therefore I will not undertake to set down what spirit it was and what name it will beare I shall onely shew what it was not and leave it to such as are godly wife and experienced Christians to spell out the name thereof Now it is very evident that it was not the spirit of brotherly love that would have silenced yea annihilated such thoughts in the first conception for as brotherly love thinks no evill much lesse dares it devise and publish falshood yet more evill and greater falshood then you have not only thought as it plainely appeares but published against me and that deliberately none could ever have imagined for you render me a scandalous Walker as vile as vile can be and here you question whether I have not complyed with Papists and Popish Cavaliers and preferred them before Protestants Thus with your windie Independent policie you blast my good name raise doubts cloud my sincerity darken and overshadow my faithfull constant perseverance in the truth and wayes of God to make me be thought a man infamous and of no Religion but such dealings are absolutely contrary to brotherly love therefore it is very clear to the understanding of all that you were not guided by that spirit And as your quaeries were made without brotherly love so they seem to be altogether voyd of Christian experience being wholly filled with evill surmises scrued up to their height by the hand of carnall reason and uttered by the tongue of sinfull suspicion For I beseech you consider how it comes to passe that you who have been a Prisoner one of my Quondam Fellow Sufferers when you heare that I being a Prisoner under the command and power of
know and their daily scriblings in print can witnesse the contrary whereupon to take away if it were possible all occasion of their calumnious tongues I writ unto Reverend and Learned Master Cranford intreating him that hee would for the stopping of all their mouths license his Booke which he willingly to pleasure me condescended unto giving his reason withall in writing under his owne hand why he made such a transgression the which Master Knollys concealed wherein he dealt not candidly for it gave great occasion to the Sectaries to traduce Master Cranford not a little And after this was printed came forth an other Pamphlet by one I. S. called Flagellum Flagolli or Doctor Bastwicks quarters beaten up which was the cause of the Title and Inscription of this Booke and I being not many weeks after at Westminster some asking me there why I had not yet replyed unto them I answered not in a triumphing manner as my brother Burton relateth but merrily yet in respectful terms that I understood my Brother Burtons Booke was comming forth against me and when once that appeared I would answer them altogether This is all as I remember was spake by me Now they having their Emissaries and Lisners in all corners it seemes some of them over-heard that which was spoken by me which they related to my Brother Burton in other language then I uttered it the which provoked him a fresh as he saith page 1. in arâ—nam descendere and to take both my bookes in hand and so una fidelia duos parietes and although he was disswaded from fowling his fingers with my Post-script as hee confesseth yet being as hee saith bound by a double ingagement the one for the cause the other for his person he hasted at length as fast as before hee was slow to give me an answer to them both and howsoever I had not so much as named him in either of my Bookes but onely sent him them he having desired it yet he being not capable of the good counsell that was given him by his friend fouled not only his fingers with me but the whole man soule and body picking a groundlesse quarrell with me telling me though I named him not that I had vellicated him and pluckt him by the very beard and as the Prelate of Canterbury said once that when I writ against the Pope I meant him so my Brother Burton imagined I meant him because in my Post-script pag. 44. I had these words that not onely the Novices Younkers and Fresh-water souldiers but grave men in their great white-basket-hilted Beards with their swords in their hands came out to fight against their brethren for their Independency c. which merry expression of mine though I spake in the number of multitude he applying unto himselfe affirmes that I meant him as if there had beene none amongst the Independent in white-basket-hilted beards but himselfe which moved him to great choler and indignation against mee and so inraged him that he sheweth nothing but passion through his whole Booke as will easily appeare to every one that readeth it in the which he tels mee that the Wise man saith Prov. 20. ver 29. 16. 31. the beauty of old men is their gray head yea a crown of Glory being found in the way of Righteousnesse which I shall ever assent unto but if a gray head be found in the way of error Schisme and Vnrighteousnesse then that place is not for his purpose Now I shall referre these two Questions or Queries to the judgement of all solid Christians First Whether or no my Brother Burton be found in the way of Righteousnesse Secondly Whether Independency be the way of Righteousnesse And to begin with the first in the second page of his Booke he promiseth me that I shall not find with him so much as a white staffe to lift up against me and yet in the seventh pag. he comes out against me with Phocions black Hatchet which is his Pole-axe with which he fals upon me soule and body cleaving both my head and heart sparing no part of me and in the same second page he promiseth me that he will answer me in the words of truth and sobernesse and in the spirit of meeknesse and love These are his words who would not thinke that should heare him speak but that he herad the sweet voice of Iacob yet if hee looke but into his Booke before he commeth halfe way to the conclusion he will soone see the rough hands of Esau and well perceive that he answers me in the words of error and passion and in the spirit of bitternesse insolency and hatred and that he hath learned that Lesson well Calumniare audacter aliquid haerebit calumniate boldly something will sticke which he hath done with as much acrimony as I thinke any man ever did against a Brother and quondam Fellow-sufferer all which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard and harsh termes I can no lesse then spread before the Lord the Righteous judge ever remembring Regium est male audire cum bene feceris Now whether or no my Brother Burton in breaking thus his promise with me in all respects and dealing so unrighteously and injuriously with mee though he come out in his beautifull Gray Head be found in the way of Righteousnesse and be one of those men Solomon speaketh of I referre it to the judgement of the Learned But before I passe on to my second Querie I shall take liberty to make use of some of Reverend and Learned Master Calamies words for the more corroborating the judgement of the Reader concerning this first question He in his just and necessary Apology against my Brother Burtons unjuct invective concerning Truth shut out of doores page 2. hath this expression concerning my brother Burton His words saith he are swords and speares rather then words Hee fights with his heeles rather then with his head and kicks rather then argues and whips rather then answers Scarce any man since Montagues Appeal hath written with more bitterness I may say of him as Dr Rivet doth of Bishop Montague Non potest vir ille sine convitiis quenquam a quo dissentit vel in levissimis nominare Rivet Apol. this man cannot so much as mention any one from whom he differs in opinion though it be but in the slightest matters without reproach And as Plato said to Diogenes when hee trode upon the pride of Plato thou treadest upon my pride with a greater pride So saith Master Calamy doth Mr Burton tread upon me and whatsoever is blame-worthy in me with a pride more then episcopall and surely if to be railed upon and reviled be sufficient to bring a man into discredit then I must be esteemed as the dung off scouring and filth of the world c. Thus that learned man truly spake of my brother Burton whose faculty chiefly lies in abusing most men that differ from him though but in the least things But what Mr Calamy says of
hopes are frustrate now they labor for a toleration of all Religions which both God noble Nehemiah and Ioshua all the Holy Prophets Christ and his blessed Apostles continually were displeased with and denounced judgements against all which holy Lawes now they desire may be dispensed with to gratifie them with a ful toleration of all religions or at least with an indulgence for their new-fangled Independency which by all their indeavours they make way apace for and howsoever it was thought a thing worthy of death in Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury that they but laboured to alter the Lawes of the Land and the Religion that was established by publick authority and for the which they both suffered the very Sectaries and Independents themselves being the principall Agents to bring them both to their end who by their tumultuous and disorderly running up daily to Westminster were never satisfied in craving justice at the Parliament against them saying that as resolution was the life of action so execution was the life of the Law and justice and would never be contented and appeased till they had obtained their desires against them and only for this very cause as they pretended that they indeavoured to alter the Lawes of the Land and the Religion established by publick authority and many of our Fugitives were as eager in that busines as any of the rest some of them standing upon the Scaffold to see the execution of them and rejoycing at the justice done upon them and yet behold the very same men are all of them guilty of the very same crime that they dyed for yea of a farre greater for the Prelate and the Earle of Strafford were adjudged for but indeavouring to alter the Religion and Lawes established in the Kingdome but all the Sectaries and Independents they have really altered Religion and have set up many new Religions and that without any authority yea they have altered both Law and Gospel rejecting all the Holy Scriptures and making nothing of the glorious Word of God as can be proved and they have not only established by their sole authority divers Religions amongst us that were never knowne before but they proclame all the Presbyterians enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sons of Belial and esteeme of them as so many Infidels in no wise to be communicated with in holy things And for the fundamentall Lawes of the Land they not only speake against them as a yoake of tyrannie and bondage unsupportable to be borne but they write whole bookes against them desiring they may be altered notwithstanding all men injoy their lives and estates by them yea they write not only in general against all the laws of the land but against the very Ordinances of Parliament daily publishing Pamphlets against all their proceedings and especially they have taken great paines to dismount the Ordinance of Tythes established both by Law and a particular Ordinance of Parliament they would faine starve the Presbyterians preaching and practising hourely against the Covenant and many knowne Ordinances for whereas it was by Ordinances injoyned that none should preach publickly but such as were authorised and thought fit for the soundnesse of their Doctrine and for the sufficiency of their parts and abilities and that nothing should be printed but by authority notwithstanding these Ordinances the Sectaries and Independents both preach print whatsoever they please to the seducing of the people and for the perverting and corrupting of religion and disturbance both of Church and State and whereas by an Ordinance of Parliament the manner of government consisting of the three States King Peers and Commons hath been againe and againe confirmed established with the sitting of the Reverend Assembly of Divines and the ratifying of the Directory and for the establishing of the Presbyterian government neverthelesse they write against them all especially the King Peers and Assembly making nothing of them no nor of the â—ouse of Commons it selfe if at any time they displease them but they dash them all a peeces subverting the whole government at once proclaming the people the soveraigne Lords of them all and some of them have beene so temerarious as they have abused the whole Parliament to their faces first the King then the House of Commons and then the House of Lords slighting their authority and power affirming that they could not so much as commit any freeborne subject to prison which every Justice of peace or Constable may doe yea it is well knowne that in insolency they have exceeded all Delinquents that ever appeared before the great Councell of the Kingdome so that it may be spake to the honour both of Strafford and the Prelate of Canterbury that they both of them behaved themselves with far greater modesty and reverence towards both Houses then many of the Sectaries have done for they ever yeelded due honour and reverenciall respect unto them all both with bowed knees and gracefull and seeming language which those paultry Fellowes out of an insulting impudency denied them despising Dignities and Dominions and these creatures have had their complices to applaud them in these their Rebelliouspractises yea some of them have beene so bold as to petition the Parliament in their behalfe though they could not be ignorant how unchristianly unreverently and undutifully they behaved themselves before them which was the greatest affront that was ever offered to any Parliament and the greatest breach of the priviledge of Parliament that hath beene knowne in any nation and yet all these things have beene perpetrated by the Independents and Sectaries all which gracelesse proceedings the old Puritans of England abhorred as the way of unrighteousnesse This also can be proved that many of their Independent itinerary preachers run from place to place preaching against the Nobility and Gentry against the Citie and against the Reverend Assembly against the Directory against Tythes against the Presbytery yea against all that is called authority and against all our gallant renowned and valiant presbyterian souldiers saying in their Sermons come out yee old base drunken whoremasterly rogues shew what you have done for the safety of the Kingdome ascribing all the glory of those noble victories to their owne party Truly if I should make but a repetition of the very contents of their prayers Sermons and diabolicall practises and set downe but the very heads of them it would fill a mightie volume by all which it would evidently appeare that they are greater Delinquents against the Religion and Lawes established by publicke authority then ever Strafford and the Prelate were and greater Malignants to the State then ever the Cavaliers were yea greater enemies to all Reformation in Religion then ever appeared in the world before they were hatcht and which is not the least thing of admiration and wonder in all these creatures they are fledge in wickednesse as soone as they are disclosed Truly these their practises manifest unto the whole world that they are
that no other meanes ought or could lawfully be used but sweating them with Arguments Whereupon I being very desirous of all mens saving healths but especially of yours in regard of the particular acquaintance I have formerly had with some of you and in regard also I have beene often accused of great ingratitude towards you all though I may truly assert that not any one of you did ever shew me the least courtesie under that notion you now shew your love to any for whiles yee were my familiars yee went on in that way I now walke in and if yee then shewed me any humanity yee ought not now to upbraid me with it for I am not changed but yee I say in consideration of these things and in regard likewise I find by many symptomes the minds of many of you are exceedingly exulcerated and affected with that malady in morality yee make so loathsome in others yee being surcharged with superfluity of choler and malice and not able to containe your selves but breake forth into distemper of words and poure it out in unsavoury language so that yee may well be left to a miserere mei I pray excuse me that I use your owne dialect in all these regards I say but chiefly for your soules good and that all the world may see how gratefull a man I am to you for any former courtesies under whatsoever notion you shewed them mee I being a Phisician and very well acquainted with all your distempers and being very willing also to yeeld my best helpe for the restoring of any of you to your former sanity and soundnesse of mind offer my selfe to be your Phisician in ordinary and to follow the method prescribed by one of your brethren who it seemsknows the best way of curing your severall maladies I shall upon all occasions as I have at this time sweat you with Arguments but chiefly aâ— the times appointed and because it shall not be said I doe it out of a desire of gaine and for lucre sake that I may the better testifie my gratitude to you all I will according to my promise give you my counsell gratis only you must pay my Apothecary for the Phisick who shall use you very reasonably Now I have made good provision of it because some of your way not many weeks since being in Westminster-Hall speaking to a Reverend Presbyterian Minister in a vapouring manner said that the Independents were exceedingly beholding to me and Reverend Mr. Edwards affirming that we bred more Indpendents then any two of the Kingdom besides and this I beleeve to be true not only because I know the honesty of the man but because I find it printed by one of your brethren that Bishop Wren was not more mischievous to the Prelacy then Master Edwards hath beene to the Presbytery and because Master Weld a wonderfull learned man writ unto me not long since wondring who hired me to make so many Independents whose worthy Epistles may happily within these few weeks see the light and in this regard I doe perswade my selfe that those Independents did use such words as these to that Minister in Westminster-Hall The same Minister also related unto me moreover that they said that they understood that I was preparing some physicke for them which they doubted not but would be very operative for the breeding and increasing of Independents and for the strengthning of more and therefore they said they were resolved as soone as ever it was made ready for use they would bestow an hundred pounds upon that and Master Edward's Bookes for to send through the countrey for the breeding of Independents and contented not themselves barely to speake the words but bound themselves by a solemne protestation that they would doe it and therefore that Iâ—might farther make them beholding to me which is also some requitall for all your former courtesies I have provided physick in a very great quantity and challenge your promise for I presume that they were but the mouth of their brethren there being one of your Sagamours in the company at that time a man that cannot deny what was promised Now if you be honest men indeed and men of your word I expect performance according to your promise I will see you shall have reasonable penny worths only I must tell you that I will take order that the physicke be faithfully distributed and sent through the Kingdome into all parts according to your engagement for the breeding of Independents that it be not embezeled I will undertake that it shall carefully be sent to whatsoever places you shall appoint therefore if yee be Saints indeed as yee pretend stand to your word for I have good witnesse of it and doe not you pretend excuses for the declining of the buying of my physick for then I will conclude you are but a company of Bragadochoes neither would I have you as formerly you use to disparage it finding fault with it my method manner of dispensation saying that it is nauseous and that in my rules and directions I am full of tautologies and extravagancies and that it is poore stuffe procuring rather vomiting then sweating and that their tender stomacks and conscences cannot digest such physicke complayning moreover that it is very deare I would not have you now pretend any of these things I say it is not for your honour seeing you have passed your promise to buy it and to send it through the countrey for the breeding of Independents for you should have considered all these things before your engagements which being passed you cannot now with honesty revoke But as for the tautologies and often repetitions you so blame in my method and so much speake of you of all men ought to excuse them you your selves so often using them having little else in all your writings but tautologies and vaine repetitions especially you ought not to blame them in me when those of your partie have occasioned them by your frequent objecting the same things from severall mouths and pens for I had to deale with your whole Armie and with three of your Generals at once who had read without doubt what each other had writ against me and therefore they picking and choosing through my booke what they thought they could best deale with they might have set upon those parts of my Book that the others had said nothing against but they making the same cavils that the others had done they put mee upon severall answers But were it so that they had none of them seene what each other had writ yet they treading in the same steps and answering after their manner to the severall Arguments they opposed I was severally to reply to all their cavils that are materially made to the severall Arguments which I have faithfully done and for my part I thought it no burthen being ever willing yea resolved is often and as frequently as I find poyson laid by any destructive creature to prescribe an
one of them that followed Christ and beleeved in him at which the Scribes and Pharisees were offended and sought how they might destroy him but saith the Scripture they feared him because all the people were astonished at his doctrine that is they beleeved it verse 18. another company was those that were the Disciples of Iohn the Baptist and they accompted Iohn a Prophet indeed as all the men of Ierusalem did verse 32. and either of these companies were so great and powerfull as they kept all Christs enemies in awe so that they were affraid of the people of either party and therefore there was then a very City of believers in Ierusalem and they Inhabitants and that in Christs time and they had been baptized by Saint Iohn for all Ierusalem went out and were baptized by him So that now I assure my selfe every but ordinary understanding man will gather that there was an innumerable multitude of believers in Ierusalem and more than could meet in any one place or a few if they had been put together when there were two such potent parties there as either of them kept the very enemies of Christ the Magistrates and Rulers yea Herod himselfe in awe which a few thousands could never have done and all these were Inhabitans of Ierusalem and well known to the Scribes and Pharisees to be Christs and Iohns Disciples and all beleevers as wee shall more abundantly prove in the following discourse and therefore my Minor doth now stand firme That there were more beleevers in Ierusalem and that by the very ministry and baptisme of John then could meet in any one place or a few and that there wâ—â— an infinite number of beleevers and a very City of beleevers which Mr Knollys denyeth and in so doing gives the spirit of God the lys and contradicts the holy Scripture and opposeth all sound reason and all this to maintain the fonde opinion of Independency And this shall serve to have spoke by way of answer to what Mr Knollys had to reply to my first arguments concerning the multitudes baptized by John the Baptist I will now give an answer to what I. S. hath to say against this argument of whom I shall take the liberty by way of preface before I come to my Reply to speak something and yet no more then shall be thought fit and agreeable to sound reason and so much the rather I do it because this man greatly vanteth himselfe and because his answer is highly esteemed of amongst many of the congregationall way who I confesse are much to be blamed that they suffer themselves to be deluded with such fellowes never examining their writings but taking all for oracles they vent and thinking it enough that there is any thing come out against a Presbyterian in way of answer though there be nothing more destructive to their own opinion as I am confident it will appear to all judicious men that these answers of Mr Knollys my Brother Burton and this I. S. are And for I. S. I may say thus much of him that he is yet vainer then Mr Knollys in his answers for he candidly denyeth upon all occasions the Minors of my Syllogismes and then gives some sucking reasons for this his denyall but this I. S. hath nothing of a Scholler in him for all good Schollers and Disputants will set down the arguments of their adversaries in their full strength and as they are in the Copy and then either deny the Major or Minor or both or distinguish and after they have shewen the fallacyes of the arguments if there be any then by their art and learning they will shew the weaknesse of them and so evade the dinte and force of them this I say is the method not onely of all accurate Disputants but of every ordinary jangler if he at least pretends any thing to learning But I. S. hath not so much ingenuity in him as to do any thing of all this but first sets down my arguments in an obscure way and to the halves so that the unlearned Reader cannot perceive the strength of my reason and then in a confused manner gives in his answer in the name of all the Independents which upon due examination I am confident will appear to all learned men to be nothing but a packe of blasphemies and contradictions as being a meer fighting against the truth and a giving of the spirit of God the lye as in the sequell will be evidenced Our Saviour in the 3 of John verse 20. 21. saith That hee that doth the works of darknesse shunns the light but he that doth truth cometh to the light c. Truly I may justly accuse I. S. and his fraternity of this sin that they not only shun the light themselvs but hinder others also from it and do whatsoever in them lies to keep men from the knowledg of the truth and from prying into their errors that by this means they may atttain unto their own ends and therefore they not onely dispâ—rage all the Presbyterians and with their calumnies labour to make them odious to the people as so many railors and persecutors for so they call us that they may neither hear their Sermons nor read any books written by them or any thing penned against their Novelties by those of that party and all this to abuse the simple people that by this their art they may with-hold the truth from them in unrighteousnesse And in this facultie are all the Independents very expert who cunningly either pick and choose or curtalize and adulterate all a guments that are brought against them or else totally passe them over with slightings when they can no way with any reason reply unto them And as they are generally void of all good learning and sciences so there is neither ingenuity candor or honesty amongst the most of them these excellent graces and vertues being now strangers to those of the congregationall way amongst the which fraud and juglings and all manner of dissimulation and railing are the only master pieces of their craft by which they maintain and uphold their way and foment their errors for should they deal fairly with us and not disswade the people from reading our books and hearing our godly and painfull Ministers and would they but set down our arguments and reasons in their full strength the people would not onely speedily see their errors but relinquish them And therfore they all take speciall care to keep the people in ignorance and amongst those Artificers and Crafâ—s-men of that new Goddesse that Diana of Independency this J. S. though in all good learning he be a very novice yet in this craft of jugling he is pretily expert And that all men may see I do not falsly accuse him I will first set down the sum of my arguments taken from the multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist and and then set down in what terms he delivers them with his vain and impious answer to them
assemblies Ministers immediately sent them of God and inspired with the holy Ghost every one of the which had the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven given them by Christ himselfe with a promise to be with them to the end of the world and that whatsoever they loosed on earth should be loosed in Heaven and whatsoever they bound on earth should be bound in Heaven and that his spirit also should leade them into all truth the which Ministers likewise taught them whatsoever Christ had commanded them and that dayly in the Temple and in every house Ergo all and every one of those Assemblies and Congregations respectively and severally taken were true and compleat churches properly so called For the Major no well grounded Christian will deny it especially the Independents cannot gain say it for if two or three met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in Christs name make a true visible church as those of the congregationall way hold and teach then much more where two or three hundreds are met together in the fellowship of the Gospell and in the name of Christ and in the which also they partaked in all the saving and sealing Ordinances as in the preaching of the Word and Prayer and in the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that by lawfull Ministers and Officers appointed and sent by God himselfe I say by far better reason such a congregation is a true and visible and compleate church properly so called as all rationall and intelligible men will easily conclude and therefore this cannot be denied by the Independents especially when as I noted before it is their owne Doctrine taught in all their writings and Preached by every one of the congregationall way and confirmed by their own daily practice And to passe by many books writ of late by the Ministers of New-England and some of the Independent Ministers here amongst us I will only at this time pitch upon one who hath in my opinion dealt more candidly then any of his brethren for he kepes no reserves Donec ad triarios redierit res but sets downe plainly what they hold I will make bold therefore with his new blasing lights lately set up upon that learned Beaken called Truth gloriously appearing from under the sad and sable cloude of obloquy In the which treatise pag. 22. and 23. the author in the name of all the Independents declares their judgement concering this businesse whose words I will set down at large desiring to deliver their minde in their own expressions rather then in mine that they may not hereafter accuse me to have pickt and chose what made most for me and against them and left the rest His words are these Object It may possibly here be objected how will it appeare that so small a number as two or three joyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell do constitute a visible Church Answ It will appeare evident by this insuing argument Christ hath given his power and promised his presence to two or three ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell therefore two or three so joyned together do constitute a visible church The Antecedent is proved from the Words of Christ Matth. 18. If thy brother offend thee tell him of it if he refuse to heare thee take two or three if he heare not them tell it to the church if he neglect to heare the church let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican I say unto you whatsoever you shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven Loe Here 's their power given them by Christ The presence of Christ is promised by them vers 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them The consequent cannot be denied for what people in the world may be called a church if they may not to whom Christ hath given his power and promised his presence If the gifts of Christ be of any force if the power of Christ be of any efficacy then they have a right to be so called Neither is this destitute of learned men who have given their suffrage to it Humfred de religione vera conservanda pag. 24. Ecclesiam cum dico non unum aut alterum sacerdotem aut ministrum sed legitimum ac Christianum catum nomino et innuo Besides the definition of a visible church will prove the consequent A visible church is a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the members be Saints called out of the world united together into one congregation by an holy covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances This definition though it properly looke upon a compleate church it is appliable to two or three that are joyned together in the fellowship of the faith of the Gospell 2 Object But is it like that two or three there is taken for the church mentioned vers 17. to which Christ hath given his power Answ I do not say that it is alwaies so taken for because the church doth frequently consist of many but this I say that it may be so taken as the very coherence of the words shews Beside it will further appeare thus if two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power and honoured with Christs presence then two or three may be the church mentioned vers 17. but two or three may meet together clothed with Christs power for they meet in his name as the text speakes 1. e. clothed with his power for name signifieth power in severall Scriptures Prov. the 18. 10. Philip. 2. 10. and honoured with his presence and therefore two or three may be the church there mentioned 3. Object But such a company being destitute of Officers can be no church Answ If it had been said they could have been no compleate church I would have consented But to say that they are not a compleat church therefore they are no church is a Non sequitur A man that wants a hand or foot or both is notwithstanding a man though a maimed man Officers do not concurr to the esse or being of a church but to the bene esse or well being of a church for otherwise put case the Officers of a church dye then must the church be unchurched and so Toties quoties as such a thing happens which in times of mortality may be often Againe a company of believers ioyned together in the fellowship of the Gospell hath the matter and forme of a church even before it hath any Officers and therefore is a Church without them it hath the matter of a Church a company believing 1 Cor. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 1. and it hath the forme of a Church viz. a combining and uniting of themselves together into one body by the bond of an holy Covenant I have spoke some thing the more in this particular to strengthen
exposed themselves to any miseriâ—s and hazards rather then in the least worldly pleasure to insnare their affections in things below as the eleventh chapter of the Hebrewâ—s doth fully declare Now if wee looke upon the generality of the Il-dependents wee shall find them void of all the above-named graâ—es as being men most addicted to the world and worldly things and that when shee is in her old age so that it is ordinarily observed that howsoever they call themselves the holy people and godly party there is none more covetous none are more taken up with the pleasures and bravery of the world none more envious and malicious none more proud haughty supercilious none more greedy and having then they none more worldly so that ye shal find them at the receipt of custom through the kingdom meer Toule-gatherers which was amongst the Saints of old counted a trade incompatible with holinesse and godlinesse for Publicans generally were all esteemed the worst and wickedest of men yet I say the Independents at this day for the universality of them are taken notice of for their worldly mindednesse so that through the whole Realme you shall find them in all the Excise offices in all the custome houses and in all the gainefull places and imployments by Sea and Land in all the Committees in all gainefull offices in the Army and through all the Courts of the Kingdome neither are there any that aspire more to all places of honour in all parts of the Land then they and make more use of their friends by running riding and letters for the hindring of any other but themselves in attaining places of Dignity and Emolument wheresoever they are vacant as daily experience teacheth us and as it can be proved by a cloud of witnesses yea so notorious are their covetous and ambitious designes to all men that the very Malignants can say that they have got all the rich plunder into their possessions and have made themselves wealthy with the spoyles of others and especially those that came out of New England have beene taken notice of amongst others to have bought things plundered of mighty worth at small rates and have sent them over thither in so much that the very Cavaliers and Gentlemen of good ranke and place have told mee that if ever they got the day they would make a voyage into New-England to demand their plundered goods of them And it is well knowne what vast summes of money they have gathered through the Kingdome of godly people under pretence of relieving the poore Saints there and for the sending over boyes and young children and so they have all of that party bestirred themselves in getting of monies under the pretext of good uses and buying of plundered Goods as if they had studied nothing but the getting of earthly things so that wheresoever there is any money stirring or any gainefull offices thither doe the Independents fly like a company of flyes upon a gald Horses backe yea their very Ministers have got all the gainefull Lectures through towne and countrey many of them having two or three very profitable ones at once the least of which by report would maintaine two or three Families when as many more learned then themselves cannot get bread to put in their childrens bellies so that they are generally cryed up and other godly and painefull Ministers are despised through their calumnies and craft so that all men may easily perceive that the world and they are very good friends whereas the holy people of old cared not for the things of the world and for bravery and gallantry all manner of voluptuousnesse they exceed all men yea the very Daughters of Ierusalem never minc'd it more Isay the 3. then the Independents wives and daughters doe nor never injoyed greater pleasures then they in so much that it is one of the infallible notes of the Il-dependents both men and women to exceed all others in bravery and delicacy never was there such a gallant Generation of Saints since the world began yea their very Ministers and their Dames go rather like Ruffians then the holy mortified people of God matrons of old in so much that some of the Il-dependents themselves were heard say when my last booke came out in my owne defence against Iohn Lilburne where I made my selfe merry with them at the which so many of them stormed against mee with indignation at that time I say some of the Independents were heard to say that what Doctor Bastwicke had writ merrily was too too true for the truth is say they they are too much given to their pleasures and to good cheere many of them are abominably proud and covetous and gaping after honours and riches and are so unbridled in their expressions and so disorderly in their carriages and many times so insolent in their behaviours as they justly give offence and scandall both in word and deed to many that otherwise would have harboured better opinions and conceits of them and that that I now say and a great deale more can be proved and amongst other things they related that they being present at the Committee of examinations never saw any man more injuriously abused by any then I was in so much that they admired my patience I could carry my selfe at that time so calmely towards them So that if need be I shall be able to produce good witnesses from amongst the Il-dependents themselves that by their testimony shall make good this my charge against them for their worldly mindednesse and extreme pride and insolency and their unchristian dealing towards their brethren I shall not want the witnesses also of some and they of good quality that have fallen off from walking with them who are ready to attest that the sole and chiefe moving cause of their disliking their companies was for the very reasons I have now specified who will affirme that they could not continue in so costly aud chargeable a Religion they having found a cheaper way to Heaven it will also be proved that whereas many before they came acquainted with them and to be of their Fellowship they could for three or foure hundred pounds a yeare maintaine themselves and their families and doe a great deale of good to many distressed people and indigent and persecuted Christians but since they grew into acquaintance with those of the congregationall way what with the entertainment of them and their party and presents and what with their frequent relieving of those of that Fraternity it hath stood them in eight hundred nine hundred a thousand pounds yearely yea some times more so that it has beene admired how they have subsisted and it is well knowne that one of their chiefe designes is to get into their societies the chiefest and richest people every where and especially the more honourable women by meanes of which they exceedingly strengthen their party for those poore creatures not diving into the subtilty of
wee might never looke for happy dayes nay it can be proved that some of the Independent Ministers have made it part of their imployment to run from one place to an other to preach their errors and in their Sermons to bring the Gentry and Nobility into the hatred of the people accusing them as the cause of all our calamities publickly declaming against them as the basest Gentry and Nobility in the world saying in expresse words that howsoever Noble-mens Mothers were knowne yet their Fathers were Grooms or some base fellows that they were nothing but drosse dresse drosse and this they have spake in great and crowded Assemblies all the which speeches if they tend not to make the Nobility hatefull to the people and so by consequence to the ruine and overthrow of them in time I know not what can and whether all this bee not to doe evill to their neighbours I leave it to the judgement of others and how many of the Independents have vilified the great Councell let their bookes be examined and they will say I wrong them not in any thing when I affirm they labour to bring in a confusion of all things yea their words daily at the very Parliament dore can witnesse that howsoever they pretend to honour the Parliament yet they do accuse them of arbitrary and tyrannicall Government and assert that the Lawyers in the Parliament have betrayed the Liberties of the subject and this is their daily language and that it may bee the better knowne it is all extant in their printed Books by all which they do evill to their neighbours Now then if I in my just defence made use of their owne expressions to set downe the wickednesse of their wayes and to discover their bad intentions there was no just cause why any rationall man should condemne mee for it for ridentem dicere verum quid vetat Now that the Independents have so severely censured mee causelessely for this they shew they are altogether partiall and very unjust Judges and whiles they doe the greatest evill unto men that can possibly by the malice of men be done unto them which no true Saints doe for they doe no evill to their neighbours as the Spirit of God saith yet they will condemne others for but making use truly of such expressions as they themselves have falsely and causelessely used against others for I in discribing of them and their proceedings exprest my selfe but in their owne dialect and yet they fill the whole Kingdom with clamours against mee for being but their scholler The time was when I writ my Letany for to make my self and my fellow Prisoners merry in our bands that when many grave men liked it in private yet disswaded mee from making of it publick that those that are now the great Sticklers of the Independent party against all the counsell of my grave friends perswaded me to print it protesting that they thought it would doe the Prelates more mischiefe then any booke that was seriously penned against them and therefore intreated mee by all meanes that I would publish it yea they offered mee to set it forth upon their owne charges and costs and through their importunity they prevayled with mee to give them the copie and it was printed and liked so wel of by that party as they commended mee with all the prayses men could extoll and magnifie a man with as can be proved and they have often profest unto mee that they thought it was the best way of dealing with any enemies of the Church and therefore I conceive that Martin useth so much of this method in his books But indeed there have bin many and grave Divines that have writ many merry and pleasant books against the Prelates in all ages nations which have discovered their vanities more then any thing that was seriously writ by which meanes many personages of eminent quality as well as those of low degree have come to the knowledge of the wickednesse of the Papall Hierarchy which had they beene seriously penned no man would have regarded yea the holy Prophets and divine Pen-men have made themselves merry with the vanity of the false Prophets and great men of their time many presidents of the which might be produced out of sacred writ so that there is no sinne in writing pleasantly against any such as goe about to seduce and mislead the people and alienate them from their duty towards God and their obedience to those that are in authority and from their duty and love to their brethren all which are capitall evils and which no true Saints will perpetrate Now I say in this that the Independents did so well like of my Letany and the merry passages in that booke and are so highly offended at my mirth in my just defence against them that are equally guilty with those they most mortally hate and in that they so harshly accuse those expressions in my booke which I have but borrowed from them saying that none that useth such can have a dramme of grace in them in all this they are very partiall and unjust Judges and give unrighteous judgement against their neighbour which is to doe evill to their neighbour which all true Saints will not doe and they may remember that the Lord in the 29. of of Isaiah condemned such as made a man an offender for a word But of all these things in their due place When I upon an other occasion shall answer to the moderate checks wherin I shall make it appeare had those expressions beene mine owne there had beene no blasphemy in them without it be esteemed blasphemy with them to compare a company of rude and rebellious wicked people to a good creature of God when as the Holy Ghost compareth such to a Dog returning to his vomit and to a Sow wallowing in the mire withall I shall then make it evident that the conspiracy of Corah Dathan and Abiram was not greater against Moses and Aaron then this confederacy of the Ill-dependents at that time against some of the honourable Members of the Parliament But letting passe their partiality in many other things towards their owne party in whom they can see no sinne I will goe on to the other characters of true Saints indeed as they are set downe by the Spirit of God the third of which in this verse is that they receive not a reproach against their neighbors The true Saints saith the Holy Ghost take not up a reproach against their neighbours they will neither heare much lesse entertain or receive an evill reproach or calumny against their neighbours for they have learned better things out of Gods holy word as in Exodus 23. verse 1. where the Lord speaking to his owne people and all true Saints saith Thou shalt not receive or rayse a false report put not thou thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witnesse Neither is there any thing more forbidden through the whole Scripture then whispering
that hee may be our sole Monarch and eternall King and may perpetually rule in his Church and have all things done in his alone name and according to his owne appointment to the judgement I say of all such cordiall subjects of Iesus Christ and to their seriousest thoughts and censures I leave the consideration of this weighty busines I am confident they will conclude their blasphemy was yet never paralleld by the very Pope himselfe or by any of his shavelings who were never yet so notoriously usurping and iniurious to Christ the King of his Church as to send out their Mandates in their owne name but all things issued out in in nomine domini hence came up the Proverbe when they heard of any thing from the Pope that they usually said in nomine domini incipit omne malum for he always pretended to do al in the name of Christ the King for that stile notwithstanding did that man of sinne ever observe and keepe continually ever setting forth his grolleries in nomine domini whereas our Independent Brethren act all their baggatelly and trifling busines in the name of their severall churches their officers ever saying when they carry or bring any learned Messages one from an other that they come in the name of the churches and what they doe they would have them know they doe it as officers in the name of the church Christs name the King of his church is never so much as heard amongst them in the transacting of their church affaires so that wee may truely say that whatsoever they pretend of setting up Christ as King upon his Throne their practise sheweth the contrary for in the government of all their severall churches they act all not in the name of Christ but in the name of their several churches so that Christ the Kings name is not so much as mentioned amongst them as wee have learned not onely from their daily practise but from I. S. and our American monstrous Divinity To all that I have said for proofe that all the Independents by their doctrine disthrone Christ and set themselves in his place whiles they most of all pretend they set him up upon his Throne I may for a corallary add their new traditions and practises which they impose upon all the Members of their severall new gathered churches as the commandments of God and as the practises of the Saints of old and injoyne them and urge them as the statutes ordinances and decrees of God yea I might here farther shew how they practice contrary unto Christ's the King and Lord of his Church commands For whereas he sending out his Disciples and Apostles setting down the conditions upon which all men should be admitted into the Church which were to repent and beleeve and to bebaptized in token of their beliese and repentance which whosoever should accept of and imbrace they should thereupon be received into Church fellowship the Illdefendents notwithstanding regard not Christs commands but unto it add their own vain traditions for the which they have neither precept nor president in all holy writ nor the practice of any well reformed church and they force men to conforme unto them or else there can be no admission howsoever they offer themselvs to do as much as Christ their King commands them to do And whereas Christ the King of his church layd the Government of it upon the shoulders of none but his Ministers to whom he had given the Keyes the Il-dependents not onely dispense with this law at pleasure but absolutely oppose it for contrary unto this law is their doctrine and practice who teach that the power and interest lies in the people and that is their part and that the Ministers are to exercise their authority and jurisdiction in the churches name and so they spoile the Ministers of their power and invest the people with it and give lawes unto the people of God yea unto the Lawâ—iver Christ himselfe whether all these dealings therefore of the Illdependents with many more paslages of the like nature that might be produced if not worse be not to disthrone Christ when they slight his Laws and prefer their own traditions before the commandments of Christ the King of his church and revile and reproach his servants and officers offering all the indignity that can be committed against men to them all I leave it to the judgement of the wise and godly Again I refer it to the wisdome of any discerning spirit to consider and judge what difference there is between the Sectaries and the Pope and his conclave in this point whenas they both assume all authority to themselves and take it from the Ministers and make them but their executioners Surely they will finde them both equally guilty and both Antichristian in rebelling in all things against Christ For Christ saith to all men that they that despise his Ministers despise him and they that despise and slight Christ in as much as in them lies they disthrone him and therefore when all the Independents dayly practice all the malifices above mentioned and that in a higher manner and strain pretend they what they will of setting up Christ upon his Throne they plainly disthrone him dishonour him which may yet further appear if we consider some of their other passages for it is well known that some of the chiefe pillars in their houses and churches those Atlasses that some of them confide so much in for their strength and so much extoll for the preaching up of Christs Kingdome and for the setting of him up upon his Throne I say some of these as it is well known have upon the Frontispices of their Pamphlets set this title Against Jesu Worship Now although it be praise worthy in any in maintenance of Gods true worship and service to write against all Idolatricall or Superstitious worship of the true God or Jesus yet it is a thing no way beseeming any Christian to write agaist God Worship and Iesu-Worship which are both commanded because that some faile and erre in the manner of the Worship of either God the Father or God the Sonne Yea it would have been thought in any Christian Nation an unsufferable thing to have tolerated the very reading or publishing of any books with such a title and inscription though the matter in them might have been good for no man much lesse a Christian oâ—ght to write against Iesu-Worship no more then he ought to write against God-Worship for Iesus also is God blessed for ever the eternall Son of the eternall Father who hath commanded all his Disciples Iohn 5. To worship the Son as they worship the Father Now then if it be an unsufferable thing to write against God-Worship no lesse intolerable is it in any to write against Iesu-Worship and all such as write such books and all such as allow of them and approve of them and their authors let them pretend what they will of setting up Christ upon
his Throne all such as these are I say make Christ a Pagent King and salute him with haile Master as the Jews did to usurpe some of their own rhetorick and learned elequence but indeed they disthrone him For what is it to disthrone a King if writing of Warning Peeces and Pamphlets against Kings service and Kings-honour be not And what I pray is it to disthrone a King if this be not to passe all acts of Government in the peoples name and to send out all their warrants and mandates in the peoples name and to command all their officers to manage all their imploiments in the peoples name never so much as mentioning or taking notice of the King in a publique act of Government Are not all these actions and passages to any rationall creature a sufficient demonstration that the King in that Kingdome is either absolutely disthroned or is but a King to them in ludibry as Christ was to the wicked Jews I am confident that all understanding men will so conclude Now when in all the new congregations those new gathered churches the Ildependents there have such amongst them that write books and that with their approbation against Iesu-Worship that is against the Worship of Iesus who is the eternall King of his Church and when every day in all their particular churches they exercise all the acts of Government in the name of their churches and not in Christs the Kings name and that against the command of Christ and his Apostles I affirm and by the grace of God I hope ever to make it good that all this is not onely a robbing Christ our Lord and King of his due honour but a blasphemous and more then a Papall usurpation and derogating from his Kingly dignity and royalty yea it is indeed a plain disthroning of Christ their King and thrusting him out of his place and putting themselves in it which whether or no it be not the highest point of contumacy rebellion and blasphemy I leave to the judgment of others as for my self I know not what either of these things be if they be not blasphemy for when I learned Divinity I was taught that blasphemy consisted in this either to give unto God that that belonged not to him and to the excellency of his Majesty divine nature or to detract from him that that peculiarly belonged either to the essence persons or glorious attributes of the diety or to give the honour properly and peculiarly due to God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost or to any person in the glorious Trinity to any creature or malitiously or wickedly to speak evill of God his essence attributes word works c. or to do or act any thing obstinately and wilfully that is or may be derogatory to the dignity and honour of the Divine Majesty of God blessed for ever any of these things when I studied Divinity were thought blasphemy and worthy of severest punishments and those that perpetrated any of those crimes were reputed unworthy to live and proclamed blasphemers and men unsufferable and yet there are many such kind of creatures in our new gathered Churches who are guilty of all that can be called blasphemy and that rob Christ the Lord of his Worship and write against Iesu-worship blaspheme the holy Scriptures and deny the diety of Christ and the blessed Trinity c. and disthrone Christ in their new Congregations whiles they cry hail Master exercising all acts of Government amongst themselvs in the name of the Church never so much as mentioning the name of Christ the King and many more intolerable insolencies they dayly commit against the Soveraign Majesty of heaven and earth the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and King and all these notwithstanding are counted Saints that commit these vices and malifices and great books are writ in defence of all these wicked blasphemous wretches and both their errors and their persons are countenanced and that by their great Rabbyes and Champions all which notwithstanding are in Gods dialect and in his holy Word both old and new counted abominable creatures and men unholy and displeasing unto God and the acters and abetters and countenancers of all such blasphemies and wickednesses were thought equally guilty and great and fearfull judgements were denounced against them all as it is apparently evident out of Gods holy Word and yet these great evills are counted but the infirmities of the Saints amongst our Independent masters Now then I say when the Illdefendents are guilty of all these crimes as partly acting them partly tolerating such as are both actors and abetters or conniving at them and countenancing them pretend they what they will of setting up Christ upon his Throne I hope to be ever able to make it good that they all of them disthrone Christ manifest to the world that as much as in them lies they would not have him raign over them and so make themselves guilty of that crime they lay to the Presbyterians charg whom they dayly accuse to be enemies of Jesus Christ his Kingdom and such as would not have Christ rule over them when notwithstanding the Presbyterians do and ever will by Gods divine assistance set up Christ King upon his Throne and shall ever desire that all honour and glory and praise may be given for ever and ever to the King eternall immortall invisible the only wise God the King of Saints and King of Kings and that he may solely rule for ever and that all his enemies and such as rob him of his honour and dignity may be made his footstoole in the number of which the greatest part of the Sectaries are and all such as comply with them And this shall suffice to have spoken concerning the first part of my undertaking against I. S. which was to set forth the wickednesse of the Independents and to shew how by their doctrine they rob Christ of his honour and Kingly dignity when they pretend they set him upon his Throne which is an unsufferable blasphemy in them And now I come to prove against I. S. that I undertook in the second place to make good viz. that by their doctrine they not only rob Christ of his honour but all Christs blessed Apostles Ministers and Servants of their power and leave them nothing but the name and shadow of authority which is a horrid injustice and wickednesse in the Sectaries and Independents to do which although I have briefly proved before yet I shall here again for the more full elucidation of the truth and for the better setting forth of the Ill-dependent wickednesse a little further expatiate in this business and answer to all that I. S. hath materially or with any colour to speak in behalfe of his cause where I presume he hath spake as much as he and his complices thought and conceived made for it and for which their vain and impious jangling they must one day give a dreadfull account I undertake therefore now to prove
that if those of their nighest relations should go about to intice any to Idolatry or to the worshipping of false gods or the true God in a false manner or should endeavour but to bring in another Religion than that the Lord had appointed that then they should bring them forth and have justice done against them so that God abhorreth that any Religion amongst his own people should be tolerated or set up besides that he himselfe hath commanded and he had forbid in his law that any man should make to themselves any graven Image or set up any way of worshipping him but that which he himself had ordained and injoyned and commanded that they that should attempt any such thing should be put to death We see likewise what Ioshua did according to the commandment of God who ought to be a pattern to all Christians and all Christian Magistrates chap. 24. verse 14 15 16. Now therefore saith he fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Aegypt and serve ye the Lord and if it seem evill unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell but for me and my house we will serve the Lord And the people answered and said God forbid that we should forsake the Lord and serve other gods for the Lord our God is he that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage c. Here we may observe first that Ioshua injoynes them to serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth and that they might do that to put away all their idols he gives no toleration of all Religions and the like may be said of Ioshua Ioshua 24. 15. and that they might with the more alacrity yeeld obedience to God's command he sets his own example before their eyes with his resolution which was that both he and his houshold would serve the Lord onely and set up his worship and all the people likewise assented to do the same and gave their reason why they would serve the Lord and tolerate no other Religion because say they the Lord hath brought us up out of the land of Aegypt and out of the house of bondage and made us his peculiar people and therefore they resolved to serve him onely and tolerate no other service amongst them but that which God himself had commanded and appointed And this example of Ioshua and the people of Israel is left to all the people of God to all ages for imitation whose duty it is to set up the true worship of God only amongst them and none but that which Christ their Redeemer King and Law-giver hath injoyned them and therefore all such as would have all Religions tolerated do exceedingly forget themselves and are highly unthankfull to Christ their King and Redeemer And if we look into the story of the Judges the book following that of Ioshua when this generation was dead and that they had forgot their covenant and began to tolerate all Religions amongst them they brought down all those plagues upon themselves by it that were written in the law of Moses and for no other cause saith the holy Scripture but for that they set up those Religions the heathens had served their gods by as is manifest from the sixth chapter for when the people cryed unto the Lord because of the Midianites the Lord sent a Prophet unto them first who told them that the cause of all the judgements was because they had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord but had served the gods of the nations which he had forbidden them and afterwards he sent an Angel unto Gideon and commanded him to break down the Altar of Baal which his father had made and to cut down the Grove that was by it and to set up an Altar to the Lord In the first place Gideon was enjoyned to root out idolatry and then to set up Gods true worship onely here we finde no toleration of any Religion but the true Religion when they set upon the work of reformation and when the men of the City made inquiry after him that had broken down the Altar and cut down the Grove and would have put him to death it is related that Ioash the Father of Gideon said to all those that stood against him Will ye plead for Baal will ye save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death whiles it is yet morning if he be a god let him plead for himselfe because one hath cast down his Altar Here we finde no toleration of Baal's Religion but that they that would plead for him should be put to death and surely those that will plead for a toleration of all Religions do no lesse than fight against God But now let us see what Elias did 1 King 18. ver 21. who was counted as the Chariots and Horse-men of Israel with Baals Priests and what he said to all those of his times How long saith he to the people will ye halt between two Religions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be God then follow him The holy Prophet would not admit of a toleration of all Religions but when God had miraculously manifested from Heaven that Elias his Religion was the true Religion and which God in his holy Word had established all Baals Priests were put to death and that by Elias his command who said Take the Prophets of Baal let none of them escape and they took them and Elias took them and brought them down to the Brook Kishon and slew them there And so upon all reformations all other Religions were cast out but the true Religion as we may see through the whole Scripture as in the stories of the Kings and Chronicles and those of Nehemiah and Ezra and through all the Prophets and the Lord in the second of Ieremiah complaineth against his people That they had forsaken the fountain of living water that is they had forsaken the true God and served other gods and forsaken their maker and had been more unconstant than the very Heathen who had not forsaken their idoll gods and therefore for this their Rebellion and ingratitude the Prophet denounces all those plagues that were written in the Law against them as all the other Propheâ—s did for there is not any sinne in all the old Testament that the Lord more complaines of than that of Idolatry and the toleration of many Religions amongst them as is most abundantly set down both in Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezechiel Daniel and in all the other Prophets all which were written for our learning so that if the people of God shall imitate them in their sinnes they must look to partake with them in their
and cryed out against it as an intolerable violating of Gods Law and asserted that it was enough to provoke the Lord to anger against the whole Land and write bookes and divine Tragedies upon Sabbath-breakers and Profaners of the Lords day and those that permitted the profanation of it which with the godly of those times was reputed their immortall honour how unsufferable a thing therefore is it I say now in these very men to pleade for a toleration of all Religions that could not then tolerate sports on the Lords day by which not onely the fourth commandement would be brake but all the commandements of both of the first and second Table without doubt they have a great deale to answer for before God for by the doctrine wee have learned from our Law giver and King the Lord Jesus Christ who is not changeable though they be they that breake the least ef Gods commandements and teach men so to doe whatsoever they esteeme of themselves that they set up Christ upon his Throne and whatsoever opinion men have of them they are the least in the Kingdome of Heaven and have much to answer for before his Tribunall for these their wicked dealings and truly it exceedingly saddeth my heart when I think of them how fearefully they are fallen and what a scandall and blemish they are to their holy profession that thus Chamelion like change their forme upon every occasion But how much more is it intolerable then in those men that have the name of Rabbies amongst those of the congregationall way and that would make the world beleeve they are the onely Saints for those to make themselves merry when the godly and faithfull Ministers of the Gospell out of sorrow and griefe of soul spread before the Lord the blasphemies of the times as good Hezekiah did the blasphemies of Rahshekah that it may move the people to mourning and sackcloth and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God for the diverâ—ing of his Judgements that do for these their blasphemous tenents hang over the land I say how intolerable a thing is it in such men to make a sport at it and as Solomon speaks of the wicked in his time whom he calls fools to make a mock at sin Yet such there are as Cretensis by name amongst the rest is one of them who makes himselfe merry at these blasphemies and writes books in justification of those wicked and ungodly men and calls their damnable practices the infirmities of the Saints accouÌ„ting of them as Saints and holy men whereas the good and zealous Prophet Ieremiah ch 9. cryeth out at the beholding the abominations of his times far inferio to those of our dayes saying Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of teares that I might weep day and night for the slain of the Daughters of my people Oh that I had in the wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men that I might leave my people and go from them for they be all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men And they bend their tongue like their bow for lyes but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth and they know not me saith the Lord. Here we see the posture of the holy Prophet we find him armed and clad with mourning to behold the profanation of the truth and we have here also his great complaint that at that time there were not any valian for it upon the earth If now this glorious Prophet were in the world and amongst us here in England and should behold those damnable blasphemies that are every where venâ—ed by the sons of Belial in these times should see how few upon the earth are valiant for the truth yea how they labour for a toleration of all Religions how would his spirit be moved how would his soul be perplexed within him to see it and what fountains of tears would he pou e out to the Lord quenching of the fire of his wrath and indignation against them but how much more would it perplex and trouble hâ—s soul to see any that should write yea publish books wherein they do not onely make themselves merry at those blaspnemies and count them the infirmities of the Saints but proclame them Saints that perpetâ—ate all these wickednesses and write most scurrilous â—ailing and vilifying books and Pamphlets against his holy servants that are valiant for the truth counting them speaking disgracefully and contemptibly of them but thimbles full of dust without all controversie it would sad his soul to the very death and so indeed it should trouble the souls of those that are truly godly to behold such lawlesse wickednesse not only to go unpunished but to find favor and applause even of those that are Masters of the Assemblies Truly howsoever out of the infinite patience of God these men are yet suffered yet I am most confident he that wil come wil come and not tarry to reveng his own quarrel the quarrel of his servants that are valiant for the Truth And I wil take the liberty to say thus much to St Cretensis that reverend learned and ever to be honoured Master Thomas Edwards who he so much vilipendeth and slighteth calling him a thimble full of dust will walk like a noble lyon when he like a Curr or Bandogg shall go bawling by him and withall I would advise him to take heed of that thimble For two or three fillips more of it upon his great noddle may so stagger him as he may happily never recover again and for ought I know or can discerne God may make halfe a thimble full of that dust to put out his eyes and the eyes of half the Independents and Sectaries in England For most assured I am that all such as in the name of the Lord as he doth come out against such notorious enemies of God and his Truth as Cretensis and his associates are will be able to confound them all and by the power of his might be ever strong enough to deal with the whole Army of them and with all those grolls and â—ynnies that take their part and appeare in their wicked cause I will therefore rather advise Cretensis not gyant like to fight any longer against the Truth but to humble himselfe for what he hath already done under the mighty hand of God whom he with his complices abetters have so highly provoked to wrath and anger against this poor tottering Kingdome It is not Cretensis with all his foul language shall ever be able to bespatter the immaculate reputation of learned and godly Master Edwards who hath in Gods cause ever shewed himselfe valiant for the truth and stood in the gap against the errors of the times and hath lift up his voice like a trumpet which will be for his immortall praises when too too many of his brethren which will not be for their honour were silent We finde it Matthew 13. ver 24 25. When the man had
for in such termes they usually expresse themselves Now when the occasion of this scandall and offence is taken away by the care of the Ministers and all Superstition and Popish Ceremonies and all will worship is also rooted out and when the Gospell is truly and faithfully by them preached both in season and out of season and the Name of God truly invocated and the Sacraments duly and rightly administred what just cause have the Independents now either of separation or of traducing either Ministers or people of being enemies of Christ and his Kingdome when by all their indeavours they onely seek the advancement of him and his Kingdome amongst them I have so good an opinion of all moderate minded Christians that when they shall seriously weigh and consider what I have here writ and truly and faithfully set down that those of them that have formerly been alienated from them will again being now undeceived return every one of them to their own Pastors by whose Ministry they have been converted and that all other understanding men will not only have more charitable thoughts both of the Ministers and Beleevers of the Church of England but will likewise look more narrowly into and examine more diligently all those new wayes and by finding them out to be indeed but new will seek for the old way and walk in it And truly it stands all men now in hand that desire the welfare of the whole Kingdome yea the safety tranquillity and felicity of three Kingdomes and the peace of them all and the quiet of the Church and the prosperity of Zion and indeed the peace of their own families and a good accord harmony love and unity amongst brethren to seek for the old way which hath the promise of peace which can never be preserved where differences and diversities of opinions with a toleration of all Religions are allowed of for they tend to nothing but dis-union and to a violation of all bonds of true and cordiall affection for they can never love such as they have a command to shun nor never really affect such mens companies and acquaintance whom they are ever jealous of that they will seduce their wives children and families therefore I say that all people may not onely seek for but finde that old way of peace shall ever be his prayer that wisheth that all men may be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth AN APPENDIX In the which all the reproaches and truth-gainsaying calumnies so injuriously and causelesly cast upon me by my Brother BURTON my Quondam Fellow-sufferer are all wiped away with the spunge of Innocency in this my true Answer unto him In the which also all such passages as hee so exceedingly exaggerates and cryes out against in my Preface and Postscript are cleared from his clamorous surmises and my Integrity vindicated from all his traducing Inferences and forced Conclusions Brother Burton IN the beginning of your Epistle to the Reader say you This answer was long agoe so conceived in the wombe as the slow birth may seeme to have out-gone his due time Truly it had beene good for you and farre more for your honour and for the honour and glory of God and for the honour of your holy profession that the wombe of this your Booke had beene its grave for it hath not onely given great scandall to many but sadded the hearts of multitudes of Gods people that formerly truly loved and honoured you But men that make more haste then good speed have cause at leisure often to repent as you one day must doe for this untimely birth of your deformed and monstrous brat To the matters of Argument concerning your opinion in answer to my Booke I have in the foregoing Treatise made my Reply in this Appendix I am to make my just defence against some false accusations and soule aspersions with which you have bespatterd mee through your whole discourse but should I summe up all the revilings scornings vilifying unsufferable and unchristian language which those of your Fraternity after I had declared my selfe to be none of your party before any of my Books came forth did and still doe provoke and salute mee with even in the open streets to the shame of their profession yet in the 27. page of your Booke approved of they would rise to a volume But I have learned with the Apostle Paul to passe through honour and dishonour through evill report and good report as a Deceiver and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. being therefore nothing moved with their raylings I spread them before the Lord and for brevitie sake will not here repeate them I shall onely take a note of some passing by many of the unbrotherly reproaches false accusations and bitter invectives poured out from your selfe whose Schollers it may be thought the others are and I will unfaynedly answer you in the words of truth and sobernesse and in the spirit of meeknesse and love But first give mee leave to say that from you of all men I least expected much lesse deserved such hard speeches I having beene not only a sufferer with you which ingageth a personall respect but alwayes ready and forward in the worst and most dangerous times to appeare in your defence to my owne great detriment and dammage and as a faithfull friend have stucke close and been serviceable unto you since as can sufficiently be proved when your protestation protested was questioned all which challenged a Christian circumspection even in reproving of humane frailties Now things being thus betweene you and mee how exceedingly doth it aggravate your offence in scandalizing my name as you have done For mine owne part when out of zeale to Gods Glory and my servent desire of Syons peace I write against that new way you walke in and justly blamed in generall naming no man the unwarrantable writings and censures published and laid upon all who in their judgements dissent from Independents though truly Godly affirming that they are but converts in part that they are enemies to Christs Kingly office and set up Christ as a pageant King that they neither professe nor confesse Christ but with the Iewes say wee will not have this man to raigne over us observing also in the Frontispices of their Bookes writ in defence of Independent errors these words Thinke not that I am come to send peace upon earth I came not to send peace but a sword c. Matth. 10. 34 35 36. and that in a time of so great distractions when your party have subtilly spread Schisme Faction and caused fraction and division through the Kingdome and considering withall how ready tumultuous and turbulent people are especially upon such advantages as these to misapply Christs words as all men may see and by their daily expressions plainly perceive they doe and from that text are easily perswaded to beleeve they have good ground and warrant to fight against their Christian brethren to maintaine errors and their owne whimsies I
say I weighing all these things when I writ against erroneous and peace disturbing wayes which I tooke to be my duty yet so far was I your fellow sufferer from falling at odds with you as you seeme to intimate page 2. that in reproving sinne for which I have sacred Writ to be my warrant Levit 19. 17. I gave a reverentiall honour to the person and to manifest my respects unto your selfe because a sufferer I brought not your name upon the Theater error I confuted the danger of misapplying Scripture I declared and reprehended and so by Gods gracious assistance I ever shall and will not connive with any that hold and labour to maintaine a way that leads to error and faction But so tender I was of your repute and at so vast a distance from reproaching you with untruths to render you despicable to men that your name I spared to mention and for my description of a grave man with a white basket-hilted-beard a selfe denying man would have passed it over with silence and onely made use of it as a respectfull private reproofe For I beseech you lay aside your passion and consider a little are there not some others of your judgement that have as great white beards as your selfe which are basket-hilted beards in my Dialect a harmelesse word in it selfe and a word that you know in Love and Mirth I doe frequently use to my dearest and familiar friends and it was not counted scurrilous or offensive by any other nor by your selfe to whom I have often used this expression and you never reproved me nor were offended at it untill now because I cannot approve of your writings and way which God is my witnesse before whom I speak and who knows the secret intentions of my heart I would imbrace and walk in were there in Scripture any command precept or example for my so doing but you can never produce sound Scripture proofes for it Now Scripture clearly holds out that way I walk in practice and maintain Brother you were too too precipitate you need not have made a particular application in publike and then present your selfe to the view of the world in so great a passion as to let men see and know you are not able to disgest a merry word Alas thousands never saw your book and of them that have seen and read it happily every one took not notice of your uncharitable writings and opinions for untill you so unadvisedly rushed out and on the publique Theatre proclamed your selfe to be the man very few suspected you would have dealt so unbrotherly with your brethren who though they differ from your judgement yet are sincerely godly and have deserved well from you and layd out themselves freely for the good of you and yours above all other men as to pronounce them emenies of Jesus Christ or that you would unchristian all holy Christians and deny the saving work of grace in them true conversion because they dare not joyne with you nor approve of those opinions you have lately taken up you have not been so forward at other times to declare your selfe to be the man why now surely you conceit the subscribing your name again thereunto is a sufficient ground for men to believe that those passages and assertions are not erroneous and that it is a Piaculum in me to question the matter time season and manner of publishing such things if so you mistake your selfe exceedingly for this is an undeniable truth that you are a man subject to like passions and errors as other men are Jam. 5. 17. even your best friends being Judges And that I may discover your selfe unto your selfe I will sum up a few of your passionate expressions with your unbrotherly that I say not unchristian aspersions and slanderous accusations brought against me by name in your book that you intitle but how truly Vindiciae Veritatis which before ever I had seen or so much as heard of being in the Country when it came forth one having perused it briefly and lovingly reproved you and writ against many unworthy reproaches and slanders contained therein And I shall now again take a note of them and then clear those false accounts wherewith you have so deeply charged me which consist of severall particulars viz. You account me one that hath but fair flourishes of holinesse Page 17. An Adversary to Christs Kingdome and an open enemy and Persecutor of the Church Pag. 18. A Scandalous Walker to the shame of the very name of Christian Religion Pag. 20. Worse then a Heathen a base and barbarous man Pag. 21. One of the greatest Incendiaries in the Land Pag. 25. A dishonest man of a Serpentine practice Pag. 28. A hollow-hearted man of a shallow brain a man not onely whose heart is divided but whose head is c. Pag. 29. The reckoning in the full sum by your account amounts to thus much that I am an hypocrite an unbeleever a persecutor a profane wicked base and barbarous man an Incendiary a Knave a Serpent a Dissembler an Ignoramus a mad Man c. Oh that ever such a soul condemning heart accusing head dividing Charge should be drawn up and published by a Quondam Fellow Sufferer Is this no railing nor bitter speaking because cunningly uttered by an Independent If sober men who are godly without faction judge of this your method it will appear and by them be truly voted you have forgot the promise you made page the second for my part I leave it to the grave consideration of such And I shall now speak a little to your great charge of which a man might make a book in Folio to set forth the sinfull sinfulnesse that lies closely coucht therein with your furious smiting at my soul and body which inforceth me to say These are the wounds that I received in the house of my Friend Zech. 13. 6. Yet because from a friend and a Quondam Fellow Sufferer I presently bound them up and should have been very sparing in opening and discovering of them again could I have done it without prejudicing the life of my good name and obscuring truth but for the preservation of the one and the manifestation of the other I am constrained not to neglect to lay them open search their depth declare their danger and what evill effects may ensue and to poure in the soveraigne Balsome of a good conscience and lay upon them the plaister of innocencie which is the onely approved remedy for such desperate wounds Now for your Biâ—â— of Accusations and Defamations I here in the presence of God and before all men protest against it absolutely denying the whole charge and doe affirme that neither you nor any mortall creature can truly make any one of the least particulars thereof good against me although you have laboured hard and taken a great deale of paines to do it howsoever in the opinion of holy wise and learned men to little purpose But waving that busines a little
the whole universe esteem of me as a man of piety and learning and not according to the Character you have given of me as a man not onely whose heart is divided but whose head is c. Therefore I having such a plaister made by such conscionable skilfull and learned Phisitians and men of reputation it is approved of by all that are rationall and godly to be efficacious not onely to salve this sore but to keep from festering and perfectly heal up the severall wounds I have recived from you and your fraternity although you have all cut deep and many wayes wounding me in my Religion in my Reputation in my good Name all which are more precious unto me then my life and then with one blow indeavouring to divide my heart and head to make the wounds irrecoverably mortall But if such actions proceed from Independent principles and the new light they pretend to walk by doth guide you or any of them into these wayes seeing such instruments of cruelty are in their habitations to murther innocent men in their good names which is greater cruelty and more wrong to an honest godly man then to take away his naturall life with good old Jacob Gen. 49. 6. I say O my soul come not thou into their secret unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united c. Now to conclude my Answer to your Charge where you speak of me as if I were mad Thus the Prelaticall faction in their time spake of me and of all who in sincerity and uprightnesse of heart opposed their erroneous opinions unwarrantable wayes and sinfull practises and it is no new thing for such who wander from the truth to walk in the by-paths of error and to think and speak of any that hold out and maintain the truth that they are mad and besides themselves thus Festus thought and spake of Paul Act. 26. 25. And thus it hath pleased you cunningly but more scornfully to speak of me yet as the Apostle replyed to him so I do to you I am not mad Brother and Fellow Sufferer but speak forth the words of truth and sobernesse And here in the words of truth and sobernesse I averre whereas you say Pag. 25. there wants but a Judge judicially to pronounce sentence on the former repeated words in my Postscript that it is obvious to all men you assumed the place of a Judge though not a judiciall one and have proceeded so far not onely to pronounce an unjust sentence against me but by your usurped authority to judge my heart which power is peculiar to God alone Who searcheth the hearts and tryeth the reines Psal 7. 9. Jer. 11. 20. and will give to every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doing Jer. 17 10. Revel 2. 23. Yea further I say there is none so weak-sighted but they may plainly see how you and other Independents do make it your master-piece to use dividing and traducing language slighting all men that differ from your opinions as if they had neither piety wit nor learning in them And were not you grown very skilfull in these faculties you would never have falsly accused sat Judge condemned the whole man and then have turned Executioner to divide my heart and head as you have done For all which the Lord humble you low before him giving you repentance not to be repented off and never lay these your causlesse passionate unadvised and unbrotherly dealings with me unto your Charge But before I passe on good brother give me leave here a little to parly with you You say Pag. 25. There wants but a Judge judicially to pronounce sentence on the former words in my Postscript c. But that needs not you have already done it for your purpose though not judicially but it seems you would have me judged twice for one and the sâ—me but conceived offence which is very tyranny yea I must tell you that you have proceeded in your censure already against me contrary unto all the laws of God Nature and Nations and all humanity yea by a more tyrannicall law then that of the High Commission Court or Star-Chamber all which by Gods assistance I shall evidently make appear For the manner of proceeding in all Courts of Justice appointed by God to say nothing how they never condemn a man twice for one and the same but conceived crime was that none should be condemned but by the mouth of two or three witnesses And by the law of Nations their Courts of Justice were ever open to implead any prevaricators against their laws observing ever an ordinary way and manner of proceeding in them which were appointed by the Statutes and Ordinances of their several Countries Now the conditions and requisites for a Judiciall Proceeding were First that the parties questioned should first be cited and summoned into the Court and this was to be done either by Articles or Bill or Allegation Libell or Petition Information or Accusation exhibited into the Court against the pretended Delinquent before any Sentence could passe against him Secondly the party accused was to be heard speak and plead for himself before Sentence might pass against him except he wilfully neglected the Summons and so declined his appearance for so it was ordered by the law of God and practised by all his people in the worst times as we may see in Nicodemus who to convince the Jews of injustice in their proceedings against the Lord of life said unto Christs enemies Doth our law condemn any man before we have heard him Yea this was Gods own method before the destroying of Sodom and Gomorrah who came down to see and know whether al things were according to the cry that was come up into the Court of Heaven And it was the practice of all Judges and in all Courts of Judicature to proceed secundum allegata probata the parties ever being brought before them face to face or otherwise they did not judicially pronounce sentence against them Thirdly all things were to be proved by sufficient witnesses and by men without exception such as were people of worth and credit of no infamous and beastly life and by such as bare no grudg or hatred against the party questioned and against whom the party accused could pretend no just exception for all men know that malice can neither think speak or write wel of any they malign witnesse your book against me so that if the party complained against could make it appear that the witnesses were his mortall enemies and that they were men or people of a vitious life and conversation or guilty of any heinous crimes and offences and with all that they were enemies and implacable adversaries unto him there was then a caution in law that such men might be excepted against and their testimony was not to be admitted without there were other more apparent evidence of the truth And although the High Commission and Star-Chamber were the most
this thy Book doth shew for all their talk That in Truths paths thou persever'st to walk Thy blamelesse life and godly conversation They cannot stain with slandrous exclamation Fight still the fight of faith most certainly There is laid up for Thee in heav'n on high A Crown of righteousnesse which at that day The Lord the righteous Judge shall give and say To Thee Come blessed of my Father take The kingdome I prepared for thy sake From the foundation of the world and shall Then Crown thy head with glory immortall S. B. TO The Victorious Worthy M r John Bastwick D r in Physick and Captain in the Presbyterian Army upon His industrious and learned Book intituled The Vtter Routing of all the Independent Army c. TRiumphant Victor Thou hast won the day And Routed Legions too without a fray Or shedding blood Thy deep mysterious skill Hath been always to Cure and not to kill Thou 'st purg'd their melancholy that began To make all Zeal their own complexion Their Il-dependent Choler 's cool'd by thee And Spleen and Sanguine may Religious bee While they take leave to rage and rail upon Thee as thou wert the Whore of Babylon Then thou couragious Captain undertake To vanquish Error for Christ's Churches sake Arm Thee with Samsons strength or Davids thus Like Paul fight Thou with beasts of Ephesus Then sound a charge utterly Rout all those Peace-Church-disturbers Separates that expose Our Zion like to Sodome what they 're able Raze down Christ's Churches to erect their Babel On Thee a furious Rabbie fouly fals Beats up Thy Quarters All their Generals Hanserdo Knollys namelesse I. S. Burton Have not a Scripture weapon that can hurt One Arm'd as Thou art their fury to abide With Arguments by Gods Word justifi'd The Scriptures Thou unvail'st we can behold Their sacred Truths Thy works do plain unfold Their mysteries Thou with th' Apostles keyes Unlockst Christs Churches hidden Treasuries In this Thou hast all Sectaries overthrown Now they 'll cry out of Persecution To whom th' dissenting brethren do accord Who with Hugh Peters keyes Paul Hobsons sword Advance they will boldly march madly on For all Religions a Toleration Which to Christs faithful Spous doth bring great scandal Such wasting New Lights shew Theeves in the candle Who from Christs fold His Church the fat sheep steal Saints Converts Zealots Rich-men in our Weal 'T is better grow in grace like thriving Lambs Then in short time become such hurtfull Rams But Thou well prove'st their sacrilegious theft Christ nor His blest Apostles ever left Them such a Pattern th' issues of thy pen Shews their false Lights to all enlightned men And in their new ways thou hast them pursu'd So close that Thou their Champions hast subdu'd Routed their Army all their force and might They have's to rail They are too weak to fight George Lindsey THE ERRATA In the Epistle to the Reader PAge 1. line 14. expression read expressions P. 2. l. 3. election r. affection ibid. l. 9. new r. knew P. 3. l. 31. Independent r. Independents P. 15. l. 29. unihilate r. annihilate In the Book PAge 6. line 7. papisticiae read papisticae ibid. l. 15. Hrivie r. Privie P. 9. in some copies in divers lines Pounties Porporations Pompanies read Counties Corporations Companies P. 20. l. 20. his time r. in his time ibid. l. 26. in some copies how saith God r. how saith he P. 129. l. 18. Syllogism r. Syllogisms P. 256. l. 18. given or them r. given them or P. 373. l. ult Punies r. Ninnies P. 374. alribiadian r. Alcibiadian P. 635. l. 19. hollownes read holiness The Reader in his wisdome will both discern and pardon the other literal escapes in the printing To the Ingenuous READER Christian Reader WHEN it was but noysed abroad after my returne from my last imprisonment that I was writing against Independency it would exceed beliefe if I should relate the indignation of all that party and their severall expressions of the same against me so that at that time there were no lesse nor fewer ignominious calumnies cast upon mee nor more variety of virulent censures given out against me then were uttered by them all to my disparagement upon the late comming forth but of the Title and Frontispice of the ensuing Discourse many of them affirming that I was a vaine glorious wicked fellow that I was mad that I was a base rogue and that I deserved hanging and that I would never be quiet till I were hanged with innumerable other unchristian expression of like nature So that it seems it is a greater piaculum by farre now to write against the Independents and Sectaries then scandalum magnatum was a few yeares since Truly at that time I could scarce passe by any of them as I cannot at this day without some contumely or other all which I beare with patience And amongst others I could never meet my Brother Burton but he would alwayes after his salutation in a deriding and scornefull manner aske me when my Book came forth telling me that he expected some Monster It seemes he thought I was bringing forth such a prodigious brat as he not long after laid at my doore which though it were a Monster indeed borne with teeth and nayles and did nothing but scratch and bite me yet comming from his loynes my Brother and quondam Fellow-sufferer I gave it entertainment and for the love I beare to him I have ever since danled it upon the knee of my election Now as soone as I had satisfied his expectation and sent him my Booke so long looked for he very liberally expressed his thankes for it and his opinion concerning both it and my selfe and that with many opprobrious words amidst others he asserted I was crased in my braine and that I had need of some hellebore and spake of me as an Apostate and a Persecutor who before he new my differing opinion from him both prayed for me and immoderately praysed me such is the uncertainty of all that is under the Sunne there being no stability in any creature and withall hee triumphed that he would give me a speedy answer making nothing of what I had written as it is usuall with all the Independents to vilipend and slight whatsoever the Presbyterians either speake or write and meeting with an other Independent not many dayes after he told me that there were twenty pens at worke against me and that I should have my hands full And howsoever it was some moneths before I heard from any of them in print yet all that interim they whetted their tongues against me like so many Razors Swords and Arrows to wound me in my reputation yea there was scarce a weapon in all the arsenall of calumny that they used not against me Now after some moneths one Hanserdo Knollys comming to me told me he had writ a moderate Answer unto my Booke complayning that the Presses were all shut against them though the whole Kingdome
leaving the poore sheepe in the wildernesse I say when all these things are evident out of the holy Scripture it necessarily followeth when Diotrephes was an Elder and Presbyter in that Church Saint Iohn writ unto which Master Knollys confesseth that he had there his particular congregation and therfore there was no neede of making any mention of it for very common reason will dictate thus much to any man that if any great grasier have ten or twelve thousand sheepe and many severall walks and places of pasturage to feed them in and hath severall pastours to looke unto them all as not a few Shephards can feede ten or twelue thousands sheepe and gives them all a charge in common of looking to his sheepe and feeding them although all those severall pastours are to have a generall care of all those sheep that have his marke upon them and that are within the limits of his severall walks and grasing places yet it is to be understood that every one of them hath his severall flocke committed to him in speciall for he must not be idle over the which he is to have the particular inspection and care for the well ordering of it with this limitation that he may not wrong the flocke or do any thing contrary unto his Masters pleasure or to the dammage or prejudice of his other fellow Pastours or their flocke All this I say good reason will dictate to any rationall man and dayly experience will confirme it In the same manner things were ordered in the primitive and Apostolicall Churches all whose Elders and Pastours in them had the charge of the severall flocks committed to them in common all the which they were to governe communi consilio presbyterorum as it is by all the Independents themselves confest for all those Churches were Aristocratically and Presbyterianly governed and therefore according to the wisdome and common councell of their Elders this Presbyter had the charge of the sheepe of such a ward or walke committed unto his care and that Elder had such a Circuit committed unto his charge and a third Elder had such a precinct committed to his cure and so of the rest with this proviso alwayes that all things of publicke concernment and that tended to the common good both of sheep and Pastours should be ordered by the joynt and common councell of the severall and respective Presbyters in an orderly and well regulated way for all things in the Church were to be done in order and decency and uniformitie which could never have been if every Pastour and Presbyter and every particular congregation under them severally would have governed as pleased themselves without any reference to the Colledge or common counsell of all the Presbyters which was the failing of Diotrephes here for which he was greatly blam'd by Saint Iohn And that all those Churches were to be governed by their severall Presbytries and that the people were not to intermeddle with the government of them Master Knollys himselfe in the third page of his pamphlet and in the eleventh of the same doth accord who citing my words in my introduction to my booke deduceth from them foure conclusions which I shall by and by set downe after I have related the grounds of them Before saith he the Doctor comes to proove his four particular Propositions he saith it will not be amisse in generall to take notice that all the Churches we read of in the new testament were aristocratically and Presbyterially Governed and were all Dependent upon the severall Presbyters and produceth divers places of Scripture to prove the same and two sheets are spent wholly in proving thereof from the 12 page to the 29. These words Mr Knollys quoteth out of my book Now hear his answer All which saith he should it be granted onely proves First that in every City or Church there was a Presbytery For they Ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 14. That thou Ordain Elders City by City Tit. 1. v. 5. Secondly that as there were Apostles and Elders in the church of Jerusalem so there were Elders in the church of Ephesus Acts the 20. ver 25. and in the church of Corinth and in the church of Galatia and Philippy c. Thirdly that those severall churches were dependent upon their several Presbyteries and they were to obey them who had the rule over them Hebr. 13. 7. 17. 24. Who were their guids obey your guids Fourthly that this Presbyterian church Government God hath appointed as his Ordinance to be continu'd to the end of the World the which whosoever resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God These are the foure conclusions Master Knolleys gathereth out of my arguments but with all adds saying that all this doth not prove that this Presbyterian Church government is dependent upon a supreame judicature to the Decrees of which they must submit themselves and their churches This saith Mr. Knollys doth not follow but of that in its due place In the mean time it will be much to the purpose a little to consider his expressions All which saith he should it be granted proves First c. to wit the four conclusions now layd down in this place I intreat the Reader to behold the vanity of the man in so speaking all which shâ—uld â—t be granted as if he did me a great courtesie and favour to yeeld unto me that which the holy Scripture in exâ—resse woâ—ds declareth o be the will and pleasure of God and that which I had out of the blessed word of truth sufficiently ev need and which no man can deny except he will deny the Scripture and Word of God which hath perspicuously and in fo mall termes set own that there was a Colledge Presbyte ie of Elders orda ned and constituted in very Church or City who were to have the rule over the people in their severall congreâ—ations within their â—râ—cin â—s w ch M Knollys himself consenteth unto as is evident by his 4 conclusions So that if ever there had been any time of denying or not granting that all the Churches of the New Iestament were all Arâ—stocratically and Presbyterianly to be govern'd and were so many severall Eccle aâ—â—icall Corpo ations and that all those Scriptures I had produced for the proof of the same had not been rightly applyed and alleadged now had been the time when this businesse was in question and agitation for Mr Knollys to have shewen his skill and to have produced the reasons of his dislike and gain-saying but when he confirmed what I proved as is manifest from his four conclusions it is a great folly in the man to say all which should it be granted when he himselfe acknowledgeth as much and in expresse terms in the eleventh page of his book hath these words It is not denyed saith he by the brethren meaning the Independents that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in the Government of the Churches in which they were Elders These are
his own words by which he consenâ—s to that I had written to be true to wit that all the Churches of the New Testament were all Aristocratically to be governed that is that all the particular congregations under the severall Presbyters were to be moderated and regulated Communi consilio Presbyteram so that if every Congregat on and particular assembly then the pastor and Elder also of that congregation as being but a chieâ—e member of it is to be ordered and governed by the joynt and common councell of the whole colledge of Presbyters and that by Mr Knollys his own concession from which grant of his I shall now likewise deduce these ensuing conclusions which will necessarily follow out of his words and all of them fatall to his own principles and to the opinion of those of the congregationall way The first that the people are wholly excluded from Government in the Church for saith he It is not denyed by the brethren that the Presbyters in all Churches were the men in Government of the Churches in which they were Elders So that the people and Church though presbyterated as they speak have not the government in their hands as indeed they have not as never having received the Keyes nor never having been made stewards of the Church nor joyned in Commission with the Elders and therefore they can never either receive in members or cast out offenders for all these are acts of Government and belong onely to the Rulers of the Church whom the people are ever to obey in the Lord as he granteth and by this he overthrows all that which afterward he affirms that the Church or Congregation of which Diotrephes was an Elder had power over him and this is the first conclusion that of necessity followeth out of Mr Knollys his words but more of this in the sequell of this discourse The second conclusion that follows out of his words is this That the Government was not put into the hands of any one Elder with his Congregation but into the hands of many Elders that is into the hands of the whole Presbytery to wit the Court or Colledge of Presbyters so that they and they only joyntly and together had the power both to question convent and censure for M. Knollys saith It is not denyed by the brethren but that the Presbyters in al churches were the men in the government according to that of S. John If I come I will remember his deeds which he doth prating against us So that whosoever shall Diotrephes like indeavour to alter this government and assume it to themselves from the other Elders and from the Presbyters or to invest the people with it or joyn them in commission with the Elders or to arrogate unto themselves or to their particular congregations an absolute jurisdiction within themselves and an Independency from them and shall go about to disgrace and prate against the Presbyters and labour to bring them into the hatred of the people and shall take this liberty at pleasure to cast out whom they will out of their congregations or to bring in whom they please upon their owne tearmes and conditions and exercise an absolute Lordly Dominion amongst themselves over their congregations and the severall members in them all such are guilty of Diotrephes his sinne and offend in like manner and are equally to be blamed as assumers unto themselvs of that power which only belongeth to the presbytery now when all the Independents are guilty of this crime they may justly with Diotrephes be censurd and this is the second conclusion that necessarily followeth from Mr. Knollys his words The third is this that there were many congregations in all the primitive churches and yet made all of them within their severall precincts and jurisdictions but one church for so it was here in the church that Saint Iohn writeth unto where there were many Elders as Master Knollys confesseth in the which every Elder had his particular congregation as well as Diotrephes for they were no way inferiour to him so that if he had his particular congregation they each of them severally had their congregations likewise and yet they were all of them to be governed and ruled communi consilio presbyterorum which kind of government Diotrephes opposing or refusing obedience unto and affecting a Supremacy and jurisdiction to himselfe and his congregation independent from the presbytery was justly blamed by the Apostle Saint Iohn in that he prated against the presbyters with malicious words So that by all that I have now said these three positions are clearely manifest which Master Knollys denyeth viz the first That Diotrephes had a particular congregation The second that he affected an absolute jurisdicton within himselfe and to have his congregation independent and that he was the first that opposed the presbyterian government for we never read of any that prated malicious words against the Presbyterie before The third that the church that Saint Iohn writ unto was governed by the common counsell of the Presbytery at that time and that Saint Iohn did then acknowledge a Court and common councell of Presbyters both Classicall and Synodicall to appeale unto all which Master Knollys notwithstanding doth peremptorily deny But for the fuller elucidation of the truth I will first make all these propositions good from Master Knollys his own words in this his answer and then I will prove those severall appeales I made mention of page 10. and after that evidently evince that the people and congregation in any Church have not power to judge their Ministers and that it is a meare babble in M. Knollys to say that if nothing of publicke concernment were to be done without the joynt consent of the Presbytery that then Saint Iohn the Presbyter would not have transgressed so farre as to take upon him this authority over Diotrephes to tell the Church of his faults c. all these things I will methodically handle and then go on to answer whatsoever Master Knollys hath to say to all my other arguments in their due places And for proofe that Diotrephes had a particular congregation which Master Knollys saith there was no mention of waving the reasons above specified from that nigh relation that is betweene a Pastor and a flocke which is so much urged by all the Independents I say waving all those reasons I will make use of Master Knollys his owne words for it may be he will beleeve himselfe and perhaps his Disciples and followers and those of the congregationall way will give more credit to him whom they accompt very learned then to any thing I can produce out of the holy Scripture and if they will duly consider and ponder his expression they will then perceive not only his errors but how palpably he everywhere contradicteth himselfe and woundeth their cause and everteth their opinion whiles he laboureth with all his power to maintaine and defend it Diotrephes saith he opposed the brethren and forbad them